CHAPTER XIV.
BACK TO THE CAR.
There was but one place where Spangler could have come from, and thatwas the east road. The stolen car must have been driven along thedirect trail leading to Ash Fork and have stopped so as to let Spanglerout at the nearest point to the hut.
As Matt turned on the ruffian, Tomlinson and Gregory started up fromthe bench.
"There's one of the rascals!" exclaimed Tomlinson.
Spangler, for a moment, had shown evidences of surprise. Getting quickcontrol of himself, he pushed into the hut and started for Matt.
"Waal, my bantam," he sneered, "I reckon ye didn't make sich a cleangitaway, arter all. Here's where ye git what's comin' if ye don't forkover that bag. Hurry up with it! Ye've made us a heap o' trouble an' weain't allowin' ter put up with any more o' yer foolishness."
"Why, you infernal scoundrel," cried Tomlinson wrathfully, "you're myprisoner! Put down that revolver, or----"
"Oh, you say moo an' chase yerself!" scoffed Spangler. "I got biznesswith young King, here, an' if you butt in ye're goin' ter git hurt.I'll take them pearls," he added to Matt, "an' I'll take 'em _now_."
Spangler was only one against three, but he was armed, and two ofthe men he faced were worn out with the physical suffering they hadendured. The ruffian was counting confidently on having things his ownway, and Matt was wondering how he could checkmate him.
Hank must be somewhere around. Probably, Matt reasoned to himself, Hankwas in the east road keeping guard of the driver of the stolen car.
"Your lease of liberty is short," fumed Tomlinson; "I'll spend my lastdollar, if I have to, in bringing you and the rest of your infernalgang to book."
"Fer the last time, King!" growled Spangler, moving his revolversignificantly. "I've chinned all I'm goin' ter about that bag. Eitherpass it over or take what's comin'."
Matt had got around behind the bench. He had done this in a casualmanner so as not to arouse Spangler's suspicions. Just as the ruffianfinished, Matt kicked the bench against his legs.
Spangler staggered back. He did not lose his balance, but, in order tokeep from falling, he had to throw up his arms.
This was the opportunity Matt wanted. Like a flash he jumped over thebench and his right fist shot out in a blow straight from the shoulder.
It was no light tap, for the young motorist put all his heart andscience into that darting right-hander. Spangler was caught on thepoint of the jaw and driven against the crumbling adobe wall. Therevolver fell from his hand, and Matt pounced upon it and brought itlevel with Spangler's breast.
"By gad!" cried the admiring Tomlinson. "What do you think of that,Gregory? Did you ever see anything neater than that? King, you're awonder! Bravo!"
"He's quicker'n chain lightning!" averred Gregory.
Spangler was having recourse to his usual tactics whenever things wentwrong with him, and was swearing like an army teamster.
"That will do, Spangler!" said Matt sternly. "Swearing never helpedanybody and it's not going to help you. Stow it."
"I'll have yer life fer this, my buck," gritted Spangler, rubbing thepoint of his jaw, and glaring.
"Not right away you won't," returned Matt coolly. "Step around to theother wall. We want to pass that door, and you're too close to it."
"If ye think ye're goin' ter make a clean gitaway," scowled Spangler,as he moved across the room, "ye've got a surprise ahead o' ye. Yekain't bump Hank as easy as ye bumped me."
"What are you going to do, King?" asked Tomlinson.
"Get away from here as quick as we can," answered Matt.
"Aren't you going to take that scoundrel along, now that we've capturedhim?"
"No, it's impossible."
"Impossible?" echoed Tomlinson incredulously. "Why, we've got him rightin our hands."
"His partner is close by, in another road, and his partner has a fastercar than your Red Flier, Mr. Tomlinson. We've got to get away fromhere in a hurry. Take my word for it. There's no time to talk aboutit. Hurry out, you and Gregory, and make for the west road. I've got afriend there watching the car."
"But----"
"Hurry!"
There was a compelling note in Matt's voice that caused Gregory tocatch hold of his employer's arm and pull him toward the door.
"He knows what he's talking about, Mr. Tomlinson," said Gregory."Here's a chance for you to get away, and get back your pearls and thecar. The boy has shown that he has pluck and sense, and we'd better dowhat he says."
This logic overcame Tomlinson's objections, and the two passed out ofthe hut.
Matt backed after them.
"Ye better leave that gun," called Spangler.
"I'll leave it," answered Matt, "just as soon as it's safe. Where'sHank?"
"Ye'll find him quick enough!" was the grim response.
Getting through the door, Matt turned and hurried after Tomlinson andGregory.
Tomlinson was bareheaded. He wore an automobile-coat that reached tohis heels, but there was no coat or vest underneath it. The missinggarments, it seemed clear, had been appropriated by the schemingTrymore.
"If we could have taken that villain with us," fretted Tomlinson whenMatt came up with him and Gregory, "we would have had at least one ofthe gang. Now they'll all go scot-free."
"We've got to think of ourselves, first and foremost," said Matt. "Ifyou and Gregory escape, and you get your car and your pearls, thesheriff can go after the gang."
"But see what they did to me!" went on Tomlinson querulously, openinghis dust-coat and showing himself stripped to the shirt. "The rascalI wounded took part of my clothes, my watch, pocketbook, and somepersonal papers. Then, to throw us into that miserable hovel as thoughwe were dogs? Gad, it makes my blood boil to think of it."
"You might take the pearls," said Matt, and handed him the bag. "If youcould travel a little faster----"
"Can't go any faster!" declared Tomlinson. "We haven't had anything toeat or drink for nearly twenty-four hours, and my hands and feet feellike sticks. I'm anxious to know how you managed to get these pearls,King----"
"I'll tell you all about that just as soon as we get to Ash Fork."
Matt's anxiety was intense. He felt sure that Hank was doing something,and the thought bothered him. Tomlinson and Gregory were creepingalong, gathering strength with every minute, yet not fast enough tosuit Matt.
"I was foolish ever to carry these pearls with me," went on Tomlinson,"but I expected to dispose of part of them to a dealer in Albuquerque,and thought I could take the lot that far in the automobile. How didthe robbers know I had them? That's what I can't understand."
"Did you write to Denver that you had secured the pearls and were goingto carry them with you as far as Albuquerque?" asked Matt.
"Yes, but----"
"Then the news must have got out there. I happen to know that a Denverman was back of the plot to steal the gems. There was a leak in yourDenver office. How long did you stay in Yuma, Mr. Tomlinson?"
"Ten days."
"That gave the Denver man plenty of time to lay his plans. You boughtthe pearls from a Mexican who came to Yuma from La Paz?"
"Where did you find that out?"
"Is it the truth?"
"Yes."
"Well, that shows there must have been some one in your Denver officewho told what you were doing. The information I just gave you came fromDenver Denny, the fellow you wounded at the time of the robbery."
"By gad, I'll overhaul my office force from the errand-boy up, as soonas I get back home!"
"A good idea."
"That robbery was the most barefaced proceeding you ever heard of!Gregory and I were spinning along toward Ash Fork, never dreamingof trouble, when we were halted by a big stone in the road. Gregorygot out and had just rolled the stone out of the way, when four menrushed at us. I had a revolver and I blazed away. One of the villainsstaggered--but he couldn't have been very badly hurt, for he pulledhimself together and came at me. Two of them laid hold of Gregory, andt
wo laid hold of me; then one of them--the fellow I wounded--stayedwith the car while the other three took Gregory and me to that wretchedhut. If I live, I'll make every one of those men answer for whatthey've done! How such a robbery could take place, on a public road, inbroad day, is something I can't----"
Tomlinson's rambling remarks were interrupted by a sound that broughtMatt's heart into his throat. Two revolver-shots, in quick succession,came from the west road!
That meant that Carl saw trouble of some sort coming the way of the redcar.
"Run!" yelled Matt, dropping the revolver and grabbing Tomlinson by thearm: "you've got to run! Catch hold of him on the other side, Gregory.You'll be captured again if we don't hike out of this in short order."
Gregory was a younger man than Tomlinson and had withstood their recentphysical discomforts much better. He and Matt, between them, contrivedto rush the Denver man toward the road.
They did not have much farther to go, and when they broke through thelittle gap Carl greeted them with a wild shout:
"Der odder car! It vas coming, Matt, coming like a house afire!"